Fairest Of All Book Reviews

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Blurb

Review

Lola Sexton says she loathes Reed Luca.

She also says that his merry-go-round of crazy is not a place she wants to be.

She explains as well that her dating and relationship column is meant to spice up her readers’ lives, seeing it as a “sexed up, adult game” for all single women and men.

Reed Luca is obsessed with human behavior, and because his perspective is quite different than most, he uses his gift of telling lies and inciting reactions in order to test people’s will and their innate reactions to specific situations.

Reed freely expresses his opinions, regardless of who he offends, but when a certain San Francisco Times columnist calls him out for his judgmental view of her latest article, they find themselves going head-to-head with one another, which keeps them both on their toes and makes them take an honest look at what they believe about life and love.

Soon enough, Sex Says and Reed This find themselves on opposite ends when it comes to their written perspectives, but in real life, they actually enjoying hanging out together and freely talking about what they think and how they feel. And slowly, Lola goes from loathing Reed to wanting him around her at all times, finally realizing that their opposite attributes complement one another more than they would have ever thought possible.

But before Lola and Reed can have their happily ever after as defined by their eccentric and quirky ways, the idea of expectations and non-conventionalism need to be discussed, and because of how Reed has chosen to live his life up until this point, he’s the one who needs to take a look at what he truly believes in and what he’s willing to lose by being stuck in his ways out of comfort and/or fear.    

It’s always exciting when authors introduce readers to a new series with different characters, story lines, and ideas. Max Monroe’s Billionaire Bad Boys series was hilarious and sexy, and they continue to integrate those aspects of their storytelling in Sex Says while adding a set of characters with unique personalities and crazy antics that differ quite a bit from their previous heroes and heroines.

Lola and Reed are definitely one of a kind characters who use their intelligence, quirkiness and natural confidence to run each other and those around them through their paces, never knowing what to expect or what to believe as their inquisitive minds and existential views offer a variety of perspectives on life’s daily lessons.

I really enjoyed Sex Says; it’s unique, entertaining, as well as thought provoking. Both Lola and Reed are comfortable in their own skin and while others may view them as abnormal and/or weird, I see them as two people who embrace their beliefs and look to shake up the normalcy of life in life changing ways.

At first, readers may think that there’s no way that Lola and Reed can build a strong relationship when they’re so different from each other. But that’s why they work…that’s why they add so much to one another’s life because they’re not afraid to live…to make mistakes…to not know everything and learn as they go and the biggest lessons they learn are about themselves and the value and meaning of having someone to lean on and to learn from and it’s clear throughout the entire story that both Lola and Reed have much to learn as long as they’re willing to do the work and change their ways when it’s clear it’s not conducive to making things work between them.

Lola and Reed’s story is quirky, sexy, and humorous, and it has a great cast of secondary characters who shed light on them in ways that no one else can. What I would have liked a bit more of, though, was perspective into why Reed is the way he is, believing what he does and acting the way that he does when it comes to jobs and expectations, but not having that insight didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book; it’s just something that interested me to know more of because the way he lives is quite different from most people.

Max Monroe continues to write intriguing story lines with unpredictable and unique characters, and I can’t wait to see what they bring readers next.

4 Poison Apples

New York Times bestselling author, Laurelin Paige introduces an all new Dirty Filthy Rich World, with Dirty Filthy Rich Boys, a FREE prequel novella now LIVE!

Dirty Filthy Rich Boys: A Dirty Filthy Rich Novella by Laurelin Paige
Publication Date: February 27^th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

When I met Donovan Kincaid, I knew he was rich. I didn’t know he was filthy. Truth be told, I was only trying to get his best friend to notice me.

I knew poor scholarship girls like me didn’t stand a chance against guys like Weston King and Donovan Kincaid, but I was in love with his world, their world, of parties and sex and power. I knew what I wanted—I knew who I wanted—until one night, their world tried to bite me back and Donovan saved me. He saved me, and then Weston finally noticed me, and I finally learned what it was to be in their world.

Because when dirty, filthy, rich boys play, they play for keeps.

Read Dirty Filthy Rich Boys FREE today!

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Review

Holy Shit! WTF did I just read and why am I appalled, frustrated, intrigued, and strangely enticed by the messed up events in Dirty Filthy Rich Boys? And don’t even get me started on the Epilogue!

This first taste of Sabrina, Donovan, and Weston’s story is all-consuming because there are so many missing puzzle pieces that I’m trying to wrap my head around and understand how they all fit together and what their connection means for this strange trio.

I am DYING for more information…I NEED to know all of the whos, whats, wheres, and whys, especially because one of the topics Donovan is teaching and Sabrina and Weston are learning about is the study of Ethics, and if they are generalized for the common good or made to fit each personal individually.

Laurelin Paige continues to be a master of seduction, tantalizing readers with the progression of events and the sprinkling of necessary character information as we read, leaving us yearning for more of the story because we just can’t resist the twisty journey she takes us on.

5 Poison Apples

Pre-order Dirty Filthy Rich Men now:

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About the Author

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Connect with the Author

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurelinPaige/

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Don’t Speak is part of the ~a modern fairytale~ collection, which includes six standalone, completely unrelated novels inspired by beloved fairy tales:

The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) – available now (FREE!)
Never Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) – available now
Ginger’s Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) – available now
Dark Sexy Knight (Camelot) – available now (99c!)
Don’t Speak (The Little Mermaid) – new release
Swan Song (The Ugly Duckling) – available late-2017

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From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes a hot new standalone second chance romance…

THE HOT ONE!

Want a slow burn, sexy-as-sin second chance romance filled with wit, humor and so much heart?

Dive in, and get ready to swoon and fan yourself from the heat!

A sexy, feel-good romance that makes you feel good all over, THE HOT ONE is a hot, second chance standalone romance and the story of confident, charming and cocky attorney Tyler Nichols who is determined to win back his college sweetheart when he runs into her in NYC eight years later. He’ll do anything to win her heart… including stripping naked for her at her office. Can she move on from the hurt and give love a brand new chance? Find out in this sexy, fun, and sizzling romance full of heart, charm and heat! Told in dual POV, THE HOT ONE is being called over-the-top hot and utterly addictive. Grab your copy of THE HOT ONE and get ready to laugh, swoon, and fan yourself from the heat!

“The Hot One is love, laugh-out-loud humor, and lust all wrapped up in the perfect package…PURE PLEASURE!!!”

~ Bookalicious Babes Blog

“Lauren Blakely is the QUEEN of sweet, fun, and steamy reads… Her books are utterly addictive.” ~ Angie’s Dreamy Reads

A sexy new standalone romance from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely…

Ever notice that sometimes a guy will do something really stupid, like let the love of his life slip through his fingers?

Yeah. I’m that guy. But the instant I run into her again I’ve got one goal and one goal only—a second chance. The plan? Go big or go home.

Fine, at first glance, stripping naked at my ex-girlfriend’s place of work might not seem like the brightest way to win her heart again. But trust me on this count—she always liked me best without any clothes on. And sometimes you’ve got to play to your strengths when you’re fighting an uphill battle. As a lawyer, I know how to fight, and I’m prepared to fight hard for her. Because sometimes you need a second chance at first love.

He’s the one who got away . . .

The nerve of Tyler Nichols to reappear like that at my job, showing off his rock-hard body that drove me wild far too many nights. That man with his knowing grin and mischievous eyes is nothing but a cocky jerk to saunter back into my life. Except, what if he’s not . . .? I’ve tried like hell to forget him, but maybe I’m cursed to remember the guy I fell madly in love with eight years ago. Lord knows I’m not over him, so what’s the harm in giving him a week to prove he’s changed in the ways that matter?

After all, how do you resist the hot one . . .?

Excerpt

Technically, I didn’t drop my drawers the first time I saw her again. Just my balls.

The ones in my hands. Juggling balls.

Here’s how it went down. Picture a Sunday morning in Central Park. A perfect summer day. The grass was green, the breeze was warm, and I’d just spent the last few hours getting acquainted with turtles and frogs at the children’s zoo because I’m an awesome uncle. And Carly’s one cool seven-year-old.

The kid loves all creatures, but especially the ones that jump and crawl, so I took her to the enchanted forest part of the zoo. When we finished, she tugged on my shirt sleeve, batted her hazel eyes, and asked ever so sweetly for an ice cream cone.

Like I stood a chance at resisting her. C’mon. She’s my cousin’s kid, and clearly she gets her charm from our side of the family.

With her hand in mine, we strolled across the grass near the running path, hunting for the nearest ice cream dealer.

And then Carly did that thing little kids do.

She shrieked for what seemed like absolutely no reason. Next, she pointed to an impossibly tall dude wearing a beret while juggling two Rubik’s Cubes, two orange balls, and a small green beanbag.

“He can do five, Uncle Tyler!” Carly shouted, her eyes going wide.

“Five isn’t too shabby,” I said with a shrug.

She turned to me with a questioning stare. “I’ve never seen you do five.”

“That’s because I haven’t shown you all my tricks yet.”

“Can you really juggle five balls?”

I scoffed. “Please, I can do that with my eyes closed.”

I didn’t put myself through law school juggling for nothing.

Just kidding.

You can’t put yourself through law school juggling anything but insane class schedules and lack of sleep.

Carly arched an eyebrow. So did the juggler, as he kept up the cascade of his quintet. Show-off.

“I want to see. Show me,” Carly urged.

Yeah, Carly’s a chip off the old block. She’s all about challenging me, and I’m all about rising to the challenge.

The stick-thin guy with the beret raised his chin. “Have at it, man.”

With clockwork precision, he let the balls fall out of orbit and into his palm. Next, the Rubik’s Cubes. Then the beanbag. He stepped closer, handed me the objects, and flashed a crooked, put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is grin.

Game on.

Packs of runners jogged along, cyclists wheeled over the black asphalt, and rollerbladers whizzed by on the concrete. With my feet parked hip’s width apart, I stood at the edge of the grass getting a feel for the items, weighing them, and then one, two, three, four, five, I whisked each one up into the air in a high oval arc. Round and round, in a perfect five-ball cascade.

Carly clapped, then demanded more. “Yes, now close your eyes!”

I groaned. What was I thinking? Juggling with eyes closed is fucking hard. But I could pull it off for a couple seconds. My special skill. I obliged my niece’s request, pulling off a few quick blind ovals. Five seconds later, after I’d shown off that particular party trick, I opened my eyes.

And I saw a vision from my past.

A blond beauty, with long legs, a lovely round ass, and a high ponytail swishing back and forth across her shoulders. She ran along the path in tiny orange let-me-peel-them-off-with-my-teeth-pretty-please running shorts. And that face. Dear Lord, the stunning face of an angel. High cheekbones. Deep brown eyes that saw me like no one ever had. Those red lips, shaped like a bow. Fuck me, the things she could do with those lips. The things I taught her to do with that sinful mouth.

Delaney sure as hell knew how to use it, and I don’t just mean in the bedroom. We used to talk about anything and everything when we were together in college. Days with her. Nights with her. Best time of my life. That woman was full of spark. Full of fire. So damn passionate. And look at her now.

Jesus Christ.

It had to be illegal to be that smoking hot.

“Tyler Nichols. Oh. My. God. The title is definitely apropos. This man is over the top HOT in oh so many ways. The Hot One is a read-in-one-sitting kind of story.”

~ Naughty Girls and Their Books

Add it to Goodreads here!

Review

As a college student, Tyler Nichols’ focus was on his career, on the steps he needed to take to be successful, so even though he loved Delaney Stewart, he believed he couldn’t juggle his career goals and a committed relationship, which means in the end, he chose himself over Delaney, breaking her heart and giving up the best thing to ever happen to him.

8 years later, neither Tyler nor Delaney has forgotten what they used to have together, so when they reconnect, Tyler’s ready to do what it takes to win her back, but he definitely has his work cut out for him and his business method – his tendency to go balls to the wall and blindly jump in without thinking about the repercussions – won’t work with her because cockiness and pushiness are not the tools to get a second chance at a first love.

The Hot One is a feel good romance that illustrates how easily conversations can restructure priorities and lead people down new paths with new opportunities, providing them with a new outlook and offering a way to make things from the past right in the present. Tyler and Delaney’s second chance is a slow go, which isn’t Tyler’s usual modus operandi, but it’s finding a middle ground and taking the time to follow the steps that will prove to Delaney that regardless of what happened in the past, who they are now and the connection they still share is worth forgiving him for letting her go the first time and following her heart, which Tyler still owns.

Once again, Lauren Blakely creates fantastic discourse between her characters as well as internal diatribes and filthy words that will have readers laughing and swooning. Readers get to witness Tyler and Delaney reconnect and form a new bond based on their old/new feelings as well as the electric chemistry that still exists between them, and as Tyler learns the correct methods to woo Delaney back to him, we get to experience a second chance love story that’s sexy, heartfelt, and hot!

4 Poison Apples

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY HERE!

About Lauren Blakely

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than seventy-five times, and she’s sold more than 1.5 million books. In February she’ll release THE HOT ONE, a standalone contemporary romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

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#secondchance #sportsromance #football #oneclick #availablenow #newrelease #AhrenSanders #SexySix

Blurb

They call me Sexy Six

Cocky? Absof*ckinglutely
Sexy? That’s what they say
Unstoppable? You bet your ass

NFL Golden boy, Super Bowl MVP, and the league’s hottest player—on and off the field. To most, I’m a celebrity, with the records to prove it.

Fame, fortune, family… I’ve got it all.

Except Grace Monroe.

Two years ago, Grace turned my world upside down with just one look. I didn’t stand a chance against the shy, southern beauty with the radiant violet eyes. Our intense connection was unlike any force I’ve ever faced. Then she disappeared, without a word, leaving me with nothing but questions, a handful of memories, and a lifetime of what-ifs.

Now she’s back, and so much more than the girl I once knew. Stunning, successful, and sexy as sin, she’s my fantasy come true.

One taste, one touch, one moan, and I’m addicted.

Grace is the game changer I never saw coming. Everything I’ve ever wanted is finally within reach.

Suddenly, I’m playing the most important game of my life… a game where losing isn’t an option.

Because this time… winning means forever.

What happens when you come face to face with the ‘one who got away’?

Review

Sexy Six is definitely an appropriate nickname for Nick Bennett; he’s one hot commodity in professional football and the ladies love a man in a tight uniform even more when the player is so much more than another handsome face with a great throwing arm. Nick is the complete package, not only because he knows how lucky he is to live the life he does, but through his older brother, Shaw’s mistakes, he also knows how to protect himself, his family, and his heart from being manipulated and used.

2 years, 6 months, and 17 days…that’s how long it’s been since Nick has seen Grace Monroe, a girl he met in college and then disappeared without a word, but despite the amount of time that’s passed as well as the number of questions he has about her disappearance, Nick’s not going to waste this second chance with her because she hasn’t strayed far from his thoughts all this time, which tells him all he needs to know.

Grace Monroe is one of a kind; she’s a sweet southern girl who loves hard, putting those she cares for above herself at all times, sacrificing her happiness for those she loves, which is exactly why she missed out on anything developing between her and Nick when they were in college. There’s a purity to Grace that few people have and when Nick walks into her art studio ready to make up for lost time, she can’t help but want that too, even if his lifestyle is nothing like her own.

Throughout Sexy Six, the importance of family resonates off of the pages. Both Nick and Grace have incredibly supportive families and even though they may meddle a bit too much and do things behind their backs that may infuriate them, it still comes back to the love and support their families provide, and they wouldn’t change that for anything in the world.

Time doesn’t matter to the Bennett boys – it was made clear in Bizzy and Shaw’s story and it continues to be show in Sexy Six. A quick timeline to forever is just fine by them because when they know…they KNOW, so they’re not much for wasting time on courting or following a particular set of dating rules. They’re all showing the one they love every day just what they mean to them, and even though Nick might have done some things backwards and caused more harm than good at times, it’s clear how much Grace means to him and the extent to what he’s willing to do to prove she’s the one for him.

Nick and Grace’s story is so damn sweet and sexy; I couldn’t get enough of them and how perfectly they fit together. Of course a Bennett brother’s story wouldn’t be complete without Bizzy, Shaw, and Mathis and their crazy antics. All of them together is one heck of a riot, but it also is heart melting because they truly have each other’s backs and are the best of friends.

Ahren Sanders continues to overwhelm me with her emotional and steamy stories. Her characters are so well developed that it’s easy to understand who they are and what makes them, them, and through her storytelling, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the lives of her characters because she clearly shows us every part of their story and what’s at stake.

Ahren better believe I’m going to be hounding her for Claire and Mathis’ story…they’re absolute live wires ready to explode, and I, for one, want to witness that explosion!

4.5 Poison Apples

It’s here! The highly anticipated second installment of the Se7en Sinner series is live!

End Of Eden will take you to hell and back, so get ready for the ride! End of Eden is available in Kindle Unlimited!

END OF EDEN (Se7en Sinners #2)

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: 2/26/17

I thought I knew what Hell was like.

I thought I had been living it all these years on Earth—abandoned, forgotten, and left with a dangerous secret that not only made me the Se7en’s #1 target, but also turned me into a deadly weapon, a threat to every human in my path.

I was wrong.

In order to survive Lucifer’s plans for me, and his unquenchable thirst for more power, I have to surrender my humanity. I have to lose a part of myself in order to find my way back to him.

Back to the demon who saved me, only to break me.

Back to Legion.

But even supreme evil has its limits, and the real foes never show their devastatingly beautiful faces.

Forget fire and brimstone. They aren’t shit compared to what’s coming.

Centuries-old bonds will be broken. Unlikely alliances will be forged. And innocent blood will be spilled. Blood that will stain my hands for the rest of my mortal days.

I thought I knew what Hell was like.

I was wrong.

Hell is coming.

Hell is just the beginning.

#EndOfEden is #NOWLIVE

BORN SINNER is available to read on KINDLE UNLIMITED! This series MUST be read in order.

• US ➸ http://bit.ly/Born_Sinner

• UK ➸ http://bit.ly/BornSinner_UK

• CA ➸ http://bit.ly/BornSInner_CA

• AU ➸ http://bit.ly/BornSinner_AU

Meet S.L. Jennings

S.L. Jennings is a proud military wife to her high school sweetheart, a mom of 3 rowdy boys, and a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. When she’s not obsessing over book boyfriends, you can find her hanging out with a few epic fictional loves at independent bookstores, or sipping a Bloody Mary at her favorite brunch haunt in Spokane, Washington. She’s a self-proclaimed food snob, makeup junkie and lover of all things shiny, sparkly and kitschy.

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Website / Newsletter / Amazon

Synopsis

I wasn’t supposed to know about her. I never should have found her.

And I sure as hell shouldn’t have taken her… From a New York Times bestselling author comes a BRAND NEW smoldering romantic suspense that will get your pulse racing, your thighs clenching and the pages turning.

For Vicente Bernal, truth is all he’s known. The son of an infamous drug lord, Vicente was born to help run the family business, which means he’s been raised on a throne of sordid pasts and dirty laundry, violence and pride. But when Vicente stumbles across someone he’s not supposed to know about – a woman from his father’s checkered past – he sets out to California to find her behind his father’s back.

What Vicente doesn’t expect to find in San Francisco is Violet McQueen, the woman’s twenty-year old daughter. Beautiful and edgy with a vulnerability he can’t resist, Violet tempts Vicente from afar and though he promised himself he’d stay away from her, curiosity and lust are powerful forces. Besides, Vicente has always gotten everything he wants – why shouldn’t he have Violet too?

Soon his wants turn into a sexual obsession, one that sweeps Violet into his games as they fall madly, deeply in love with each other, the type of first love that can drive a person mad.

But it’s a love with tragic consequences.

Both the truth – and the lies – not only threaten to tear them apart, but threaten their very lives.

NOTE: The conclusion DIRTY SOULS, releases March 17. This edition of Black Hearts also includes the first few chapters of Dirty Angels as a bonus!

PAPERBACK ->bit.ly/BlackHearts-PB
Kindle (or FREE in KU) -> bit.ly/BlackHearts

Review

In a house of lies, it’s easy for everything to fall apart and for secrets to find a way into the light, fracturing relationships and destroying trust amongst a family who used to mean everything to one another.

And despite Ellie and Camden McQueen’s belief that their secrets are meant to be hidden for the greater good, their children will not feel the same way when it comes to learning how much their parents’ lies alter their lives.

The sins of the father seem to carry over to the son, especially when that son has grown up learning his father’s ways and understanding exactly what he must do in order to remain in control and run a cartel with a dark heart. But Vicente is not Javier; in fact, the further away he gets from his father and surrounds himself with someone who sees beyond his dark exterior, the more he understands that he’ll never be what his father wants him to be, which is freeing as well as problematic because Vicente knows the power Javier wields, and he is fully aware that things will probably not turn out how he wants them to regardless of how desperately he tries to make it so.

Vicente may have left Mexico with a singular purpose, but since befriending Violet McQueen and allowing her into his bed, his heart, and perhaps even his darkened soul, everything is much more complicated, especially due to a bevy of outside forces who refuse to allow Vicente to do what he wants when it comes to his role in the cartel and his lust over a girl who is only supposed to be a means to an end.

A mother’s lies are never easy to accept, but when it comes to Ellie’s lies to Violet, it only confirms everything Violet’s ever felt about her family and it drives them apart and it puts Violet in a situation that threatens to do way more harm than good because despite Vicente’s desire to protect Violet, he still wants her mother to pay and what would break Ellie the most is losing her daughter not only because of her secrets and lies but also due to her past intersecting with her present, vowing to give her a much different future than the one she wanted to have with Camden and her kids. 

Frauds. Fakes. Liars. These are characteristics that align the McQueens and the Bernals more so than they would ever choose to be, and they’re also what complicates their lives 20 years later, and because of this old/new connection, it’s hard to say what’s going to happen to these two families once all the lies and secrets are exposed, including those that deal with Javier’s role in Vicente’s mission to unearth his father’s sole weakness, Ellie.

It was amazing to be back in Karina Halle’s cartel world and see just how difficult it is for anyone to escape their pasts when they’re so wrought with darkness and deception. Black Hearts may be told through Vicente and Violet’s perspectives, but the story is about so much more than how free Vicente makes Violet feel when they’re together. There are extenuating circumstances that definitely spell trouble for the young couple and while Violet seems to have put her trust into a man she barely knows quite simply because everyone else around her fills her life with lies, she needs to look beyond her feelings for Vicente and see him for who he is and what he is bound to bring into her life because despite his newest revelations of what Violet means to him and what he’s willing to do to keep her safe, his father is far too powerful and vindictive to allow Vicente to continue to do what he wants without facing the repercussions of his actions.

Truths and darkness are headed Vicente and Violet’s way, and because all of the players involved are not known, the only thing that’s clear is that no one is safe from their crimes regardless of how long ago they were or how different their lives may be now. Payback and vindication are headed the McQueens and Bernals’ way, which means there’s bound to be casualties. Let’s just hope when everything is said and done, Vicente and Violet have a chance to live their lives free from the sins of their parents and free from the evil that threatens to take them down with everyone else.

4.5 Poison Apples

Pucked Off, an all-new emotional and sexy STANDALONE from Helena Hunting is LIVE!!

Pucked Off by Helena Hunting

***A Standalone novel in The Pucked Series***

I’m NHL defenseman Lance Romero, AKA Lance “Romance.”

I’m notorious for parties and excess. I have the most penalty minutes in the league. I get into the most fights. I take the most hits. I’m a player on and off the ice. I’m the one women with no inhibitions want.

Not because I like the notoriety, but because I don’t know how to be any other way.

I have secrets. Ones I shared with the wrong person, and she used them against me. Sometimes she still does. I should cut ties. But she makes it difficult, because she’s the kind of bad I deserve.

At least that’s what I believed until someone from my past gets caught up in my present. She’s all the good things in this world. She lights up my dark.

I shouldn’t want her.

But I do.

I should leave her alone.

But I won’t.

Review

This is the story I’ve been waiting for…

After witnessing Lance “Romance” Romero’s deviant behavior throughout the previous books in the series, I was desperate to learn the reasons behind his antics in his own words…I needed his backstory…an explanation for his out of control activities, but I didn’t want to learn about his history without his voice…his truths…his feelings that were expressed without the constant buzz he seemed to have or based on rumors and hearsay from the puck bunnies. I needed to understand why he appeared to be the life of the party…a legend both on and off the ice, and why he kept going back to situations and people who seemed to do nothing but use and manipulate him for their own gains.

And…once again, Helena Hunting gave me EVERYTHING I wanted and more in Pucked Off. She allowed me to see who Lance truly is and she took me inside his head and stripped him bare, forcing his demons out in the open and enabling readers to recognize that a lot of Lance’s issues stem from a violent and abusive childhood – one where everyone abandoned him and the aftereffects of that toxic treatment and his resulting behavior seeped into his adult life and led him to make choices that left him feeling empty and worthless. 

Let…Want…Need…three words that clearly define Lance’s actions and reactions and those of the two very different woman who become part of his life.

Lance lets/allows Tash to play games with him because he doesn’t feel strong enough to walk away and think that he deserves better.

Lance lets/allows Poppy’s hands to heal the tension and strain of his bad choices despite his affinity to being touched.

Lance wants Tash to want the same things he does, so he continues to go back to her even though she’s toxic to all parts of his life.

Lance wants to be good enough for Poppy and deserve her body and the way she grounds him despite the secrets he still keeps.

Lance needs to find a way to change his habits and clearly see Tash for who she is.

Lance needs to look at who he is and what he’s done and find a way to accept Poppy’s goodness into his life and see himself as deserving of her kindness and affection.

Lance is a complex man and there is so much more to him than what he allows anyone to see; he allows the rumors and destructive behavior to speak for him because he won’t risk anyone seeing how truly damaged and messed up he is, but his bad publicity follows him around, screws with his head, and keeps him on a path consumed with bad choices and regret and the only way to make the cycle stop is to  not allow anyone to screw with his head and use their knowledge of Lance’s secrets to manipulate him, exposing his insecurities and treating him as a man unworthy of love and respect.

And as long as Lance doesn’t allow himself to be used by Tash, wants to do and be better for the right woman, and needs to get off his destructive path and allow those in his life who truly love him to help set him straight.

All of these ideas are what drives the story line in PUCKED OFF…what leaves readers feeling emotionally unbalanced because Lance’s story is unlike the previous ones due to his past and the life altering effects it has had on him. But it’s also a part of his past that enters his present and inspires him to change…provides him with a new way of living, gives him an understanding of what relationships are supposed to be like and offers to stand by his side despite the difficulties of being a part of Lance’s celebrity life and what comes with it.

Poppy is an integral part of Lance’s transformation; it’s her faith in him…her care for him that allows him to fight his demons. I absolutely adore her because there is nothing fake about her…nothing vindictive or destructive in her personality. She’s a beautiful woman, inside and out, and although her history with Lance is tainted, she still sees beyond the rumors and outlandish behavior, which is exactly what Lance needs in order to combat his feelings of worthlessness and see himself as a man who has so much more to offer than just a night free of inhibitions.

PUCKED OFF is definitely my favorite of the series, partly due to how in-depth Hunting explores Lance’s issues and character and partly because of the camaraderie of his chosen family and the women who step up for their men and their men’s best friends. There are a lot of secondary story lines in the book that are just as pivotal as Lance and Poppy’s burgeoning relationship and Hunting does a great job of systematically weaving them together, allowing them to build off one another and be there as support when it’s needed.  As heavy as Lance’s story is, the freedom that comes at the end of it is so worth the tears and frustrations I experienced, and I wouldn’t change the tumultuous journey I took with them because it gives readers hope that one’s past doesn’t have to define his/her future and fate just might give him/her a second chance to get things right with the right woman.

5+ Poison Apples

Excerpt

Armed with my clipboard, I walk down the hall to the waiting room. Lance is impossible to miss. Despite the fact that he’s wearing a sweatshirt and the hood is covering half of his face, he’s more than six feet of broad, hockey-playing man.

He’s so wide his shoulders encroach on the chairs on either side, which would explain why no one is sitting next to him. He’s slouched down so his head rests on the back of the chair, and his hands are clasped in his lap, a baseball cap hanging off one knee. His lips, plush and soft—I know since I’ve had them on mine; it might have been a decade ago, but I remember it clearly—are parted. He looks like he’s asleep.

I clear my throat. “Lance Romero?”

He doesn’t move.

Bernadette, the receptionist, gives me a meaningful look.

I clear my throat again and call his name a second time. He jolts awake and the hood falls back, exposing his face. It’s not in good shape. He has a black eye and bruises on his left cheek. There’s a fly bandage across one eyebrow.

Sadly, he’s still hot.

He blinks a few times, yawns, and smacks his lips, his tongue touching the split in the bottom one. His gaze sweeps the room and finally lands on me. Heat explodes in my cheeks and courses through my limbs, warming me from the inside out as he starts at my sneaker-clad feet and roams up over my yoga pants to my company-issued T-shirt before stopping at my face. I can’t look directly at him for more than a couple of seconds. I sincerely hope he doesn’t remember me. I cannot go there and also be professional.

I’m sure the smile he gives me has melted many a panty off a slutty bunny. Mine stay right where they’re supposed to, wedged up my ass.

I force a polite, professional veneer. “I’m ready for you now.”

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About the Author

NYT and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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